Vote results were announced Tuesday morning. The website of Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59 reported that 1,842 ballots were cast, with 68.72 percent voting yes and 31.27 percent voting no. Approximately 68 percent of Local 59 members voted.
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MFT Local 59 member Doug Larison cast his ballot Friday in the contract vote. Minneapolis Labor Review photo |
The new contract provides for a major change in the way the district assigns teachers to schools. Traditionally, the system honored seniority in teacher requests for transfers. Under the new contract, the district will move to an “interview and select” system, giving school principals more authority in selecting the teachers for each school.
The new contract provides a two percent increase in the first year and a one percent increase in the second year. In the second year, teachers also will receive a one-time payment of $750.
The contract maintains fully-paid health insurance for singles and increases support for family health insurance.
"I have never seen a teachers\' contract that gave teachers the compensation and respect we deserve," read a statement on the MFT website by president Rob Panning-Miller. He said the current agreement was "no exception."
Panning-Miller led the Local 59 negotiating team and credited team members for "an outstanding job in the face of incredible challenges."
The Local 59 negotiating team and executive board sent the contract proposal to members for a vote without a recommendation.
The Minneapolis School Board was expected to ratify the agreement Tuesday, just in the nick of time meet a deadline that, if missed, would have penalized the district with a loss of nearly $1 million in state aid.
The two-year agreement covers about 3,500 teachers and educational services professionals.
Steve Share edits the Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council. Visit the CLUC website, www.minneapolisunions.org
For more information
Visit the Local 59 website, www.mft59.org
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Vote results were announced Tuesday morning. The website of Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59 reported that 1,842 ballots were cast, with 68.72 percent voting yes and 31.27 percent voting no. Approximately 68 percent of Local 59 members voted.
![]() |
MFT Local 59 member Doug Larison cast his ballot Friday in the contract vote. Minneapolis Labor Review photo |
The percentage of teachers voting yes, the website noted, was the lowest level of support for a contract proposal since 1999.
The new contract provides for a major change in the way the district assigns teachers to schools. Traditionally, the system honored seniority in teacher requests for transfers. Under the new contract, the district will move to an “interview and select” system, giving school principals more authority in selecting the teachers for each school.
The new contract provides a two percent increase in the first year and a one percent increase in the second year. In the second year, teachers also will receive a one-time payment of $750.
The contract maintains fully-paid health insurance for singles and increases support for family health insurance.
"I have never seen a teachers\’ contract that gave teachers the compensation and respect we deserve," read a statement on the MFT website by president Rob Panning-Miller. He said the current agreement was "no exception."
Panning-Miller led the Local 59 negotiating team and credited team members for "an outstanding job in the face of incredible challenges."
The Local 59 negotiating team and executive board sent the contract proposal to members for a vote without a recommendation.
The Minneapolis School Board was expected to ratify the agreement Tuesday, just in the nick of time meet a deadline that, if missed, would have penalized the district with a loss of nearly $1 million in state aid.
The two-year agreement covers about 3,500 teachers and educational services professionals.
Steve Share edits the Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council. Visit the CLUC website, www.minneapolisunions.org
For more information
Visit the Local 59 website, www.mft59.org